Wednesday, March 08, 2006

European Media Vs. Radical Muslims

The footage in I, Muslim shows a reporter pretending to be someone interested in converting to Islam. He conducts several conversations with members of the mosque, located in Černý Most, about Islam, Europe, terrorism and the role of women.

Ovečka says he stands behind his choice to use the hidden camera footage.

"I wanted to get real opinions of the local Muslim community on the issue — find out what the differences are between Czech and foreign Islam," he says.

One Muslim in the documentary compares Islamic terrorists to Jan Palach, the Czech student who committed suicide by setting himself on fire in protest of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Another says Islamic law should be implemented in the Czech Republic, including the death penalty for adultery, Ovečka says.

"I have to say with 100 percent certainty that by using hidden camera I have learned things that I would never have learned otherwise," he says. "The result was alarming, and if not for the hidden camera, I would have never had any of this footage."

Now to say this documentary -like most political documentaries- Isn't getting some critical rebuke would be well just plain wrong.

Marek Čaněk, a project coordinator with the Prague Multicultural Center, says the documentary was edited in such a way that it fed into pre-existing xenophobia.

Opponents of the documentary cite its footage of the mosque, intercut with images of terrorist attacks, without any proven connection between the two.

They also say the use of a hidden camera makes it seem as though such discussions in mosques are secretive, when in fact anyone can film inside a mosque with permission.

I wanted to start with Marek here first because what he said I think needed to be addressed first.

The whole point of the "Hidden Camera" Method is not that it is ooooooh secret and people can't film there. The point of the Hidden Camera is to get people saying things that they would think better of if they knew they had been recorded.

Would the person have compaired Suicide Bombers and terrorists to people fighting against soviet oppression if a big honking camera was on... no they wouldn't. Would his claim to be a prospective convert have worked without the hidden camera... absolutely not.

They compaired terrorists to Czech disidents because they thought he was a legitimate convert. They appealed to his morals as a way to try to feel him out if he is rejectign squishy soft multi-culturalistic europe.

Now...as for the links. Its pretty clear folks who follow Sharia and glorify terrorists tend to, at best, support terrorists in their hearts. And at worst they go out and kill for their understanding of Allah. So this approach of attacking the credibility of the film maker isn't the best way to go if your plan is -Muslims is good people-

The Council of Arabic Ambassadors to Prague is now renewing its protest about the undercover footage first aired Oct. 7 in the documentary I, Muslim on the public station ČT2.

Members of the Muslim community first filed a complaint with the Czech Radio and Television Broadcasting Council (RRTV) that month, claiming the program is biased, provokes fear and manipulates footage to promote false stereotypes.

And here is the thing....

I totally empathize with the Arab ambassadors. I have to think my second job after advocating for my country is seeing my countrymen and second and third generation expats aren't unduely kicked around by society.

I can also feel for the Muslim community. The guy claimed to be a convert then revealed intimate moments on film that don't look as good as in the mosque they may have felt. It is a total violation and reaks of sliminess